Monday, May 28, 2007

NBC President To Be Replaced

NBC President of Entertainment Kevin Reilly (pictured above with breakout "Heroes" star Masi Oka) will be leaving the network following a lackluster season that kept the Peacock in the 4th place. The move is expected to cost NBC millions of dollars.

Reilly who had just unveiled NBC's new fall schedule to advertisers a couple of weeks ago at the Upfronts in New York inked a new long-term deal with the network in March.

NBC has struggled in the ratings ever since "Friends" ended in 2004, a loss that sent the former #1 network to rock bottom. NBC hit a historical low during the 2006-2007 season as almost all of its new shows bombed.

"Sunday Night Football" and freshman drama "Heroes" helped NBC achieve early season gains, but once shows like "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "Kidnapped" and "The Black Donnellys" failed it was clear the network was almost back at square one.

NBC is hoping its new slate of shows like "The Bionic Woman" will help score higher Nielsen numbers. With only 4 new dramas, 0 new comedies and a number of on-the-bubble and aging shows on the fall schedule, things may not necessarily improve that easily.